So I've been talking a lot with Racheal Miller the owner of Stormboarding and host of the Kitestorm event in Vermont. As many of you know Stormboarding hosted a world wide speed ranking. We feel that Hardwater Kiting should host a new ranking to pick up where Stormboarding's ranking left off.

The Stormboarding ranking is what actually what drew me into kiting and in the end lead to my sponsorship by Peter Lynn.

I've set it up on the website and I'd like to know what people think. Bear in mind this is very bare bones right now but if there are any issues with the rules or who qualifies I'd like to know now before the end of the month when it goes live.

Please check it out..

http://www.hardwaterkiter.com/snowkite-global-speed-ranking1...

Thanks.

BTW I know this isn't the snowkite section of the forum but I'd like to hear everyone's opinions on this. ;-)

Great stuff Chris, I'll go check it out later today. I know quite a few people that followed it too.

How about hosting a winter event......... to try and set set some speeds at... along with just have some general kiting fun?

(People missing Stormboarding).

NAPKA may be able to insure event..?:wee:

Gentlemen,
Start waxing your boards and sharpening your edges !!!
May the force (ie wind) be with you all........

Good to see yours web site growing .... good idea to get that ranking back on line ....

Looks great so far. Regulations on what the speed was measured with? Multi-GPS required like PTW or just one ok?

I like the way this site goes about it. However they still need some work to make their site useful to more than just a handful. At the moment they have a category for kite buggies, but they don't have the right options set up to allow kite buggiers to upload data. :puzzled:

http://www.gps-icesailing.com/
http://www.gps-kitesurfing.com/

I would like to see a site that enables users to upload gps logs, and record what craft, propulsion method and surface they are using (e.g. bicycle/pedal/offroad, skateboard/gravity/tarmac, skis/kite/snow) so you can compare speeds between all sorts of different activities.

Just had a look at your site Chris.

The speed needs a unit of measure, and the upload link didn't do anything in FF

Gotcha Dembones, good point on units of measure. As I recall Rachael had us enter everything in MPH.

Erractic, rule #4 states that any speeds over =/>60mph must send in the GPS data files. So the units used must have the ability to download the data. These can be GT-31 units, Garmin E-trex, Fore-trex, Forerunner etc.... Any speeds =/>70mph require mutilple GPS unit data.

I can't see to get the file upload option on the site to function properly. I'll try to get it figured out but if I can't people will still be able to just email the file.


Thanks for the feedback guys this is helpful. Any other thoughts please keep 'em comming.:D

Ah, I see you have conditions.

You have two of condition 10

Quote:

10) The winner for each week will recieve a Hardwaterkiting Global Speed Ranking T-shirt. T-Shirts will be sent out at the end of the Speed Ranking season. (this way we can be sure to get the right sizes for everyone) There will also be a grand prize (TBA) for the overall winning top speed and will be awarded at the end of the Speed Ranking. (it's gonna be a goodie) We're pretty barebones on this at the moment so participants are only elegible for one T-shirt per season. Hopefully as the ranking grows so will some sponsorship. 10) HWK Employees are not elegible to win prizes or compete officially in the Speed Ranking. In other words entries by Chris Krug do not qualify for placement in the speed ranking and do not effect entrant's overall ranking.

:shocked2::shocked2::o:eekdrull::wow:

I wanted to make sure condition #10 was left out.:duh:

just waiting for it to freeze and snow and will def posts my speeds.let it snow ,let it snow,let it snow.

Finally rode today. 20 miles, pretty mellow. A friend of mine is sleeping in his car so he can get back on the ice first thing tomorrow.
:dunno:

How do you know you are an addict. See Below.

Quote:

Originally posted by Feyd Finally rode today. 20 miles, pretty mellow. A friend of mine is sleeping in his car so he can get back on the ice first thing tomorrow. :dunno:

Yeah, I've thought about it too. In fact I have done it a couple of times at festivals. Just not in the winter.

So glad to have a place to post , we only occationaly carried our gps' last year and missed a rocket run by my Morgan. I saw him ripping across the ice thinking "criste he's going fast" , when we got together he stated he was going "way faster" than ever before. Got a reason to have them charged this year! Thanks Chris

Thank god for the second #10, it gives us mere mortals a chance to place at the top.:roll:

About that guy that sleeps in the car, he is a real bit of work. Bought the car (Chevy Aveo) brand new, took it home and immediately took out the front passenger seat and installed a platform for sleeping on. This guy is about 6'2"+. Then he modified the heating system so he could vector heat directly into his boots to dry them out of warm them up while he's driving. Has Auxilary power etc. Drives it through anything and its small enough when he gets stuck its super easy to tow out with a hand winch.

He called me Saturday mornign @ 8am to tell me the wind was up and he was heading onto the ice. It would be an hour before I would be able to get on the ice. Pretty handy to be on the lake first thing.

I know what you mean Snowspider. It's a punch in the gut to see a fast run, know it's unusually fast and be bummed you didn't get it with the GPS. I look at it this way, if you did it once you will do it again. Hell if I know when, but it will happen. As you know it'sas much being in the right place at the right time as anything else.

Cheddar, I'm looking forward to seeing your posts. When Stormboarding was holding the speed ranking there was a broad range of entries. I'm hoping to get that kind of participation with our ranking.

Che

I think all of us have some kind of story with a GPS not recording some runs. When Jim and I had our first Etrex GPSs at NABX we would ride all day and when the wind started to come up we both had readings mid 50 mph range - then as wind increased and we had some fast runs we would both come into camp later with GPS units that would shut off or batteries died and it happened many times and we joked that those units were afraid to go 60mph and always shut down.
Then many times batteries would run down and I was having too much fun riding and simply couldn't be bothered to stop and change batteries or thinking I'll do it in a while and getting some crazy ass runs that you know were different than any other fast run done before.
I don't get too hung up on it, but in my mind I can relive those runs that felt on the edge of disaster when going full out and then getting slammed by a gust and going into hyper speed for a short time when everything becomes an intense blur - and think to myself; damn that was a good one I wish I had my GPS.

It was always tough trying to do anything with a Mac and an eTrexH - they don't supply the cables, the software, support it for Mac etc. Did some digging around and found a guy that worked it all out now for the cable to buy to convert to a usb connection and then the drivers to download and how to actually get the track data etc onto a Mac now. Here is a link to that info if anyone else has the same problem:

http://bcampblogger.wordpress.com/2011/08/09/how-to-connect-...

If we ever get snow and ice here this winter I'll get ready for the new speed ranking web site - good work on getting this going again.

Please add ice skates to the sliding equipment list.
Also for the description it would be easier for you to build reports if there were fields instead of just a text box. It will allow you to report back in a table format that people could sort.
- type of kite; fixed bridle, foils, LEI
- size (Meter2); text box
- make; text box
- model; text box
- surface; hard ice, soft ice, snow

I like doneski suggestion ....

JEEEEEZE! I can't believe I left skates out!!!!!

What in the hell is wrong with me? Skates, CHECK!

Good call on the additional fields will change that as well.

This is why I ask for feedback

Done.

My question at this point is do we need specific fields for make model and size? I admit, from a data tracking POV I like the idea but from a KISS pov I think the kite description by default denotes the type, manufacturer and style.

Expample: I put in "Phantom 2 15m" most will know it's a peter lynn closed cell foil with depower. Let me know what you think.

I think make, model and size would be plenty enough. TMI would just complicate things if you were to ask for line lengths, colors, modifications, etc etc.

Quote:

Originally posted by Feyd JEEEEEZE! I can't believe I left skates out!!!!!

Don't forget categories for head, butt, knees, face, shoulder, back.......just kidding, lol.

You know I almost put line length. Then I thought about line thickness....

Seriously that's starting to get into too technical and not so fun. We want to saty clear of that.

I think I have it now. I did an data import straight to excel which is slick. I think Racheal had to do it all manually.

20mph on my asterisk gps recorded and witnessed by two impressionable young yahoos! Definitely put in a category for "other" , things like my #@%$#!roach and butt scudding need recognition too.

Quote:

Expample: I put in "Phantom 2 15m"

I think that is enough , unless someone is flying it on 100m lines ..

Okay so I've added fields individual fields for size, make and model.

I think we're good. Should we list age and gender or is that too much. Not sure it has much bearing on anything anyway.

Quote:

Originally posted by Feyd Should we list age and gender or is that too much. Not sure it has much bearing on anything anyway.

Anyone over forty automatically add 10mph;-)

Happy New Year everyone!

The HWK Global Snowkite Ranking is active as of today so if you have a gps, take it out when you go play and let us know what your up to out there.;-)

Any questions please feel free to ask either here via u2u or through the website http://www.hardwaterkiter.com/index.html

We look forward to hearing from you and good luck.:wee: